Uncompromising On Your Experience

I founded Aaron+Gould on August 12 2008, and in order to get cash flow through the door I did some work at a really cheap rate – I mean, stupidly cheap. You tell yourself that you’re building your portfolio, or building your network, but after it all you realise it’s just one of the things that you do to make ends meat.

Side note: most business people would never be this honest – they’d be too busy posturing – but I know that you learn just as much from the scars as you do from the successes. Anyway…

So I took the job late last year. To cut a long story short, we finally got the last bits of copy we needed this week (after 7 months of silence) to wrap the project up. Thing is, our rates are now exceedingly more, and thus I faced the dilemma: do I do the bare minimum, quickly and to a low standard, and say “that’s it”, or, do I treat them just as valuably as our other clients?

My solution was found in the following Gucci slogan: Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.

Let me rephrase using my favourite word: Experience is remembered long after the price is forgotten. Every person I am in contact with, every client my agency serves, every visitor that enters my church, every follower on Twitter and reader of this very article – every single one deserves a compelling experience, and it is that experience that they’ll remember above all the other factors that fade over time.

To this end, I resolved not to compromise this client’s experience. I’ve decided that providing a compelling experience is now one of my personal and business non-negotiables. I won’t compromise it.

Archived Comments

Robin_Dickinson

That’s a good question Scott. I had to think about it quite a bit before responding. There are many things that I won’t compromise on in business. These are the standards you set that differentiate you from the pack.

An important one that comes to mind is AVAILABILITY. I keep my diary and schedule free enough to ensure that I am available to respond quickly to my customers. I mean within minutes. I let others make them wait.

Being available really helps you stand out from the pack. Most businesses are busynesses and are flat out just functioning. Obviously many things contribute to being able to be available. But that’s another story.

All the best, Robin

Robin_Dickinson

That’s a good question Scott. I had to think about it quite a bit before responding. There are many things that I won’t compromise on in business. These are the standards you set that differentiate you from the pack.

An important one that comes to mind is AVAILABILITY. I keep my diary and schedule free enough to ensure that I am available to respond quickly to my customers. I mean within minutes. I let others make them wait.

Being available really helps you stand out from the pack. Most businesses are busynesses and are flat out just functioning. Obviously many things contribute to being able to be available. But that’s another story.

All the best, Robin

Scott Gould

Hey Robin – very good value. I know I’ve often struggled with the balance – do we appear ‘distant’ in order to be big – or, do get down the trenches with out clients and show we care?

I’ve decided our business value will be the later – availability – simply because that’s who we are as a team, working in a 24hr global work setting.

What I’d like to point out, for those reading, is how great a statement it is for Robin to say he is available. If you didn’t know, he’s a lean mean entrepreneur….

Hello Scott,
It was by chance that I stumbled across your blog. I was searching for a video I uploaded onto YouTube when your site came up in the results. I still haven’t found my video. Anyways, I read your front page and thought it was very interesting other than the fact we share the same name but how similar our views are. I liked the Gucci quote, I don’t believe I’ve heard that before but it does ring true.
Hope all is well,
Regards,
M.Scott Gould
p.s. you hit the “Nail on the head” Robin

mscottgould

Hello Scott,
It was by chance that I stumbled across your blog. I was searching for a video I uploaded onto YouTube when your site came up in the results. I still haven’t found my video. Anyways, I read your front page and thought it was very interesting other than the fact we share the same name but how similar our views are. I liked the Gucci quote, I don’t believe I’ve heard that before but it does ring true.
Hope all is well,
Regards,
M.Scott Gould
p.s. you hit the “Nail on the head” Robin

Scott Gould

M.Scott – well what a wonderful sequence of events! I love the way the net connects like minded people (also with the same names!) who might otherwise have never met.

Are you on LinkedIn or Twitter? Would love to continue the discussion and get to know you. I assume that with our views being similar, you have your blog or work website or something?

Hello Scott,
The net can be an amazing thing……when googling ones own name…ha
I am still in the process of getting “connected” on the Web.
I do have a Facebook and Google profile.
But I will check back with you from time to time.
Keep up the good work….

Regards,
M.Scott Gould.

mscottgould

Hello Scott,
The net can be an amazing thing……when googling ones own name…ha
I am still in the process of getting “connected” on the Web.
I do have a Facebook and Google profile.
But I will check back with you from time to time.
Keep up the good work….

Regards,
M.Scott Gould.

/much-ado-about-something/ Much Ado About Something – scottgould.me

[…] that, to some, doesn’t quite make sense. I run an Experience Agency. I talk about compelling experiences. But it’s ahead of where the mass market is right now. And when you’re ahead, what do […]

http://twitter.com/alexthegreen Alex Green

Oh Yes, absolutely. To compromise quality or experience is to diminish the value of your product (see Ratner’s as prime example.) I’m an Osteopath, experience & quality of experience are paramount to my long term business success.

http://twitter.com/alexthegreen Alex Green

Oh Yes, absolutely. To compromise quality or experience is to diminish the value of your product (see Ratner’s as prime example.) I’m an Osteopath, experience & quality of experience are paramount to my long term business success.

Scott Gould

Could you hit with me a link to the Ratner thing?

Many, many people miss experience. Many thing I’m hyping it up. But at
the end of the day, people remember how they felt. I’ve held grudges
against companies for years for bad experiences. And other companies,
just one good experience has made me stick with them for years.

Thanks Alex

Scott Gould

Could you hit with me a link to the Ratner thing?

Many, many people miss experience. Many thing I’m hyping it up. But at
the end of the day, people remember how they felt. I’ve held grudges
against companies for years for bad experiences. And other companies,
just one good experience has made me stick with them for years.